Safety device for elevators



Aug. 15, 1950 A. J. LUCAS SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS INVENTORJ M2340 aw/gm Q1177 Filed Apgil 8, 1948 Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED. STATE SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Andrew J. Lucas, Springfield, Massr Application April s, 1948, Serial No. 20,875

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-126) This invention relates to improvements in safety devices for elevators and is directed more particularly to improvements in means for pre venting the disconnection of the cable from elevator apparatus. 1

The principal object of the invention is the crystallization of metals and other'c'auses, the

cable becomes loose or slips in the socket so'that the cable is frequently released by' the'socket. Frequent inspections are made of thepsocket and its connection to the cable end or'ends but disastrous results occur in that the socket releases the cable between inspections.

According to the novel features of this invention, means is provided which, should the socket fail, is adapted to operate to prevent separation of the cable and car or cableand counterweights.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more partieularlypointed out in the claim hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the... cable device embodying the novel features ofthe invention and shown 'inconnection with a portion of the upper framework part of a car;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

A body 2 is provided which includes complemental body members 4! which are secured together by any suitable means such as bolts 6. The members have longitudinal central portions which are provided with a longitudinal conical bore 8 and longitudinal slots H] are provided in the members 4.

Clevis rods is have upper ends [2 which are held to the body by the lowermost bolts 5 and the lower'threaded ends extend through a plate l2 secured to channel members usually provided on the upper side of an elevator car, nut It being provided to secure the rod to the car. Where the device is to be used in connection with the counterweight at the opposite end of the cable, the rods H! are secured in some suit' able manner to the counterweight.

C represents the elevator cable w'hich'is op erated by drum mechanisms to raise and'lower the elevator and the end of the cable extends through the plate 12 and another plate suchfas l8 and has on its end a socket 20. I Ordinarily the ends of the cable, strands'or wires, are secured to the socket but due to vari? 'ous causes the end of the cable does slip'in the socket and frequently becomes detached there from. According to the invention, the novel means operates should the socket become disconnected. Clamp members 24 are provided ,whichyare provided which are similar in form and are cured together by any suitable means such as bolts 25 extending'through ears 28 thereof. lg'he clamp members have ailongitudinal central bore which is formed to receive the cable. iflhe said bore is provided with means such "asserrations, grooves, or projections'so'as to firmly grip the cable and the parts are so arranged thatjthe bolts pull the parts of the clamp together in such a way that the clamp securely gripsjthe cable. I v

The .outer surface of the clamp members are conical in form and complemental to the bore 5 in the body. Theparts 28 of .the clampmemi bers extend outwardly through the slots 10, of the body and the said parts and slots are of such proportions that the clamp may slide or may move longitudinally of the body.

In operation the body is secured to either the elevator car or to the counterweights and the cable extends through the body with the clamp members .securely clamped thereto as shown.

Should the socket 28 release the end of the cable so that the end of the cable moves upwardly relative to the body, the clamp members are carried thereby so that the outer conical surface thereof is engaged by the conical bore of the body and the action is such that the pressure causes the clamp members to more securely clamp the cable if possible and at the same time prevents the end of the cable being drawn through the body.

In the manner described, the novel construction is adapted to prevent separation of the cable and car or cable and counterweights.

It may be desired to provide means so that the relative position of the clamp means and body may be readily visualized. To that end an arrow, such as 40, may be provided on the body which may be disposed at some particular point relative to the clamp members. In the illustration, the :arrow is located so that the upper end of the clamp members register therewith. Any slippage of the cable in the socket 20 may be observed by the relative position of the upper end of the clamp members and :the arrow All.

It is desired that the parts be so arranged that when the clamp members move upwardly the limit of movement will not bring about abutment of the upper side of the clamp members and upper end of the slot [0. That is, the upper portion of the upper end of the clamp members is indicated by dot-dash line 42 and there may be an arrow 44 at this point to indicate the uppermost position of the clamp members.

By proportioning the parts so that the upper ends of the clamp members do not abut the ends of the slots H], the wedging action of the conical bore and clamp members is not interfered with and the greater the strain on the cable, the greater the wedging action.

From the foregoing 'it will be observed that the body having the conical bore is secured to the elevator car or counterweight against relative movement while the clamp member disposed :the bore of the body is secured to the cable in a lower position. In this way, should the end of the cable slip appreciably relative to or be released by the socket so that the cable moves upwardly the clamp is wedged in the .bore of the body so as to more securely clamp the cable and prevent movement .of the cable.

In :the preferred form of the invention, the parts of the .clamp are so constructed and arranged that adjacent faces of the clamp members 24 are spaced apart slightly; that is, a mat.- ter of thousandths of an inch when they are in clamping arrangement on the cable. This is so that when the clamp is wedged into the bore 8 the clamp members may be forced into more rigid clamping relation on the cable.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the .essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the pres.- ent embodiments are therefore ,to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

Auxiliary self-operating safety apparatus for holding an'elevator and cable therefor against separating movement upon detachment of a connection therebetween comprising in combination, a supporting member carried on the top of the elevator, an elongated cylindrical body having an elongated conical bore therethrough surrounding but out of contact with the cable above the elevator and having longitudinal slots in the sides thereof, a plurality of rods pivotally connected to and depending downwardly from said .body and connected to said supporting member for supporting said body upwardly of the elevator, and a conical shaped clamp including separate elongated clamp members having ears on the outer sides thereof and grooves on adjacent inner sides thereof for embracing the elevator cable and means extending through the ears for securing the clamp members together, outer sides of the clamp members of said clamp having upwardly converging faces complemental to the :bore of said body, said clamp being disposed entirely within and out .of contact with the bore of .said body permitting normally 'free movements of the cable and said clamp relative to the bore of said body with the ears of said clamp being receivable in the longitudinal slots in said body, all adapted and arranged whereby as the cable moves upwardly away from the elevator upon failure of the connection between the elevator and the cable said clamp is drawn upwardly by the. cable and. wedged in the bore of said body to securely clamp the cable and prevent separating movement of the cable and said body.

ANDREW J. LUCAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 713,738 Braden Nov. 18, 1902 1,002,947 Wallace Sept. 12, 1911 1,832,138 Founder Nov. 17, 1931 1,896,415 Pyles Feb. 7, 1933 1,907,967 Himes May 9, 1933 2,386,908 Puckett Oct. 16, 1945 FQREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,280 Germany May ,20, 1879 288,768 Italy Sept. 1931 

